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National Library Reference Guides

Colonial Era

Explore a wide range of materials and sources about the colonial era of Singapore's history

Last updated 21 July 2026

Colonial Period

Explore a curated list of books, journal articles, and archive materials on Singapore's colonial period from 1819 to 1963.

Decolonisation Process

Explore books, journal articles, and archival materials on post-war Malaya and Singapore's path to independence.

Primary accounts of Singapore from 1800s to 1942

Explore this curated list of first-hand accounts of Singapore from the 1800s to 1942, and gain a fuller picture of life in colonial Singapore.

Raffles in Southeast Asia

Explore the National Library of Singapore's collection on Sir Stamford Raffles as a scholar and collector in Southeast Asia, including rare materials, books, and digitised resources.